Entry No. 43 — the Chicago file — filed under: speakeasy-bar
Booze Box
Tucked in the basement beneath the Sushi Dokku restaurant, this dark Japanese-style underground bar is reached from the back alley, where a big red arrow points you to an unmarked door. Down the dim staircase the room pours Japanese whisky, sake, and beer alongside izakaya-style bar food. DJs spin on Friday and Saturday nights, giving the cramped space a late-night lounge feel.
The story
Bypass the main front restaurant entrance entirely. To get in here, you slip into the rear alley off Fulton, locate the glowing red arrow mounted on the wall, and push through an unmarked door into the stairwell. You descend into a windowless, low-ceilinged subterranean bunker drenched in deep crimson light—a dark Japanese izakaya operating beneath the floorboards of Sushi Dokku.
The basement functions as a sake sanctuary and late-night drinking lounge. You get access to the full restaurant menu—nigiri, hamachi ponzu, and izakaya bar bites—alongside a curated shelf of Japanese whiskies, cold Japanese beers, and sake flights. On Friday and Saturday nights, local DJs set up in the cramped room to spin vinyl, house, and hip-hop, turning the tight quarters into a bass-heavy hideout where you lose all sense of what time it is outside.
What it's like
Stepping out of the alley and down the staircase drops you straight into a dark, red-lit basement room that feels like a subterranean Tokyo drinking den. Space is tight, seating is limited to a central bar and a handful of perimeter tables, and natural light is non-existent. On weekend DJ nights, the room gets loud, crowded, and energetic. While walk-ins can sometimes snag a stray stool at the bar, booking a table reservation online beforehand is essential if you don't want to get turned back up the stairs.
The move: Find the alley door between the dumpsters and split a sake flight and izakaya bites in the underground room.
📍 Before you go Entrance is via the back alley off Fulton, not the restaurant's front door; DJ nights are Fri-Sat.
- 📍 West Loop
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 1800 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Salvage One — Wander through a 60,000-square-foot warehouse of salvaged church glass and antique staircases before dropping down into an alley basement for Japanese whisky.
- Ignite Glass Studios — Pair a hands-on session beside a roaring glassblowing furnace down the street with cold sake and izakaya bites in a subterranean hideaway.
- The Office at The Aviary — Trade red-lit underground izakaya beats for an antique-filled, ultra-exclusive speakeasy den hidden beneath Grant Achatz's lounge.
- Blind Barber — Keep your secret-door evening rolling by moving from an alleyway basement to a burnt-orange cocktail lounge hidden behind a working barbershop.
Good to know
How do I find the entrance to Booze Box?
Do not go through the front door of Sushi Dokku. Walk down the rear alley off Fulton Street and look for the large red arrow on the wall pointing down toward an unmarked staircase door.
Can I order a full meal down in the bar?
Yes. Booze Box serves the complete Sushi Dokku menu, so you can order chef-dressed nigiri, maki rolls, and izakaya bites directly to your table or bar seat.
Do I need a reservation, or are walk-ins allowed?
Walk-ins are accepted at the bar on a first-come basis, but given the subterranean room's tiny capacity, reserving a spot in advance via Tock is strongly advised.
When are DJs spinning in the space?
DJs spin in the basement on Friday and Saturday nights, giving the bar a late-night lounge atmosphere.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: sushidokku.com · Yelp · Time Out · chicagospeakeasies.com · exploretock.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23